Document Details

Document Type : Article In Journal 
Document Title :
Ameliorative effects of PACAP against cartilage degeneration. Morphological, immunohistochemical and biochemical evidence from in vivo and in vitro models of rat osteoarthritis
Ameliorative effects of PACAP against cartilage degeneration. Morphological, immunohistochemical and biochemical evidence from in vivo and in vitro models of rat osteoarthritis
 
Document Language : English 
Abstract : Osteoarthritis (OA); the most common form of degenerative joint disease, is associated with variations in pro-inflammatory growth factor levels, inflammation and hypocellularity resulting from chondrocyte apoptosis. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide endowed with a range of trophic effects in several cell types; including chondrocytes. However; its role in OA has not been studied. To address this issue, we investigated whether PACAP expression is affected in OA cartilage obtained from experimentally-induced OA rat models, and then studied the effects of PACAP in isolated chondrocytes exposed to IL-1β in vitro to mimic the inflammatory milieu of OA cartilage. OA induction was established by histomorphometric and histochemical analyses. Changes in PACAP distribution in cartilage, or its concentration in synovial fluid (SF), were assessed by immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Results showed that PACAP abundance in cartilage tissue and SF was high in healthy controls. OA induction decreased PACAP levels both in affected cartilage and SF. In vitro, PACAP prevented IL-1β-induced chondrocyte apoptosis, as determined by MTT assay; Hoechst staining and western blots of apoptotic-related proteins. These changes were also accompanied by decreased i-NOS and COX-2 levels, suggesting an anti-inflammatory effect. Altogether, these findings support a potential role for PACAP as a chondroprotective agent for the treatment of OA 
ISSN : 1422-0067 
Journal Name : Int J Mol Sci 
Volume : 16 
Issue Number : 3 
Publishing Year : 1436 AH
2015 AD 
Article Type : Article 
Added Date : Wednesday, April 20, 2016 

Researchers

Researcher Name (Arabic)Researcher Name (English)Researcher TypeDr GradeEmail
Salvatore GiuntaGiunta, Salvatore Investigator sgiunta@unict.it
Alessandro CastorinaCastorina, Alessandro Researcher alecasto@unict.it
Rubina MarzagalliMarzagalli, Rubina Researcher rubinamarzagalli@yahoo.it
Marta Anna SzychlinskaSzychlinska, Marta AnnaResearcher mszychlinska@unict.it
Karin PichlerPichler, Karin Researcher karin_pichler@hotmail.com
Ali MobasheriMobasheri, Ali Researcher a.mobasheri@surrey.ac.uk
Giuseppe MusumeciMusumeci, Giuseppe Researcher g.musumeci@unict.it

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